Gay Killer Seeks Move To Holland

Former millionaire Gerardus Heijne, who is serving a life sentence in Western Australia for murdering his gay lover and business partner, has applied to the Australian Federal Government to serve the rest of his term in a Dutch prison.

The rare application was to the Federal Attorney-General’s office late last year and could take years to process because it requires the approval of WA authorities and complex diplomatic negotiations with The Hague.

Heijne murdered long-term partner Frank Cianciosi, 51, at their luxury East Perth penthouse in January 2008 and was jailed for life. He must serve 13½ years before parole.

His lawyer Michael Tudori said his client wanted to be closer to his extended family in the Netherlands.

“It could take three years,” Mr Tudori said. “It’s a long and slow process and we are hopeful he will succeed so he can be reunited with his family.”

Heijne, who is now in a relationship with a woman, would have to serve the same sentence as in WA but any application for parole would be to Dutch authorities.

The process is the same as for heroin trafficker Holly Deane-Johns, who was granted a transfer to Bandyup Women’s Prison in Perth after years in a Thai jail. She returned to WA in 2007 after being jailed for 31 years in August 2000 for trying to mail 10.4g of pure heroin from Thailand to Australia.

Heijne’s trial was told his 25-year relationship with Mr Cianciosi had been crumbling for six months when the pair argued about Heijne’s sexual relationship with a 19-year-old man.

It was told Mr Cianciosi slapped Heijne and called him a “dumb bodybuilder” before Heijne strangled him, left the body in their apartment and went shopping with his young lover.